It is an honour to welcome President Hashim Thaçi in Malta for this historic state visit.
Our meeting is evidence of the mutual friendship which exists between our countries, at this formative stage in Kosovo’s development as a respected and independent nation.
I am pleased to note that Malta was one of the very first countries that acknowledged and recognised Kosovo as an independent state. Malta is pleased that, as of today, 113 countries worldwide recognise Kosovo, with the most recent being Singapore.
I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate Kosovo on the granting of observer status at the Council of Europe. Malta will continue to support Kosovo in its bid to join international organisations.
High-level visits between our two countries have taken place on a regular basis, and are a testament to the vibrant bilateral and political ties that we have maintained over the years.
I was pleased to be in Kosovo on a state visit in February of this year, and to receive the former President of Kosovo on a working visit to Malta in March. My meetings with former President Atifete Jahjaga revealed the shared concern our nations feel, to secure meaningful wellbeing in the lives of our respective communities and societies.
Malta and Kosovo can also explore the potential of the setting up of a Parliamentary Friendship Group which will bring further understanding between our parliamentarians.
As Kosovo embarks on its economic programme for the future, we extend Malta’s support in the areas for which Malta has gained, and maintains, an international reputation for excellence.
These include the manufacture of advanced technology products, such as electrical machinery, precision instruments, pharmaceuticals, machinery, and mechanical appliances, and in the services sector: finance and insurance; information, communication, and technology services; aviation and maritime services; and education, including the teaching of English as a foreign language.
Malta encourages greater synergy between the business communities of our respective countries, and we encourage a Kosovar trade and business delegation to visit Malta. In this way, both Malta and Kosovo shall be able to effectively and efficiently identify opportunities for mutual growth.
In this spirit of relationship-building, between Malta and Kosovo, it is encouraging to note that developments are in progress in the area of higher education. Last year, the Director of the Diplomatic Academy of the Republic of Kosovo signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies at the University of Malta, thereby promoting collaboration between these institutions.
Malta also looks forward to the participation of Kosovar students in courses at the Maritime Law Institute of the International Maritime Organisation, which is based in Malta. The institute provides training for legal professionals in relevant areas of international maritime law, including the law of the sea, marine environmental law, and shipping law.
Moreover, ongoing efforts aim to deepen cooperation between our two countries in a variety of other sectors.
Direct agreements between our countries, building upon the bilateral agreement signed in 2013, will also facilitate further collaboration in terms of political consultation, economic initiatives, and socio-cultural sharing, as well as the training of Kosovo’s public officials on European Union procedures.
As Malta assumes the Presidency of the Council of the European Union early next year, let me reiterate Malta’s commitment to encouraging greater closeness between Kosovo and the European Union, and Malta’s willingness to provide assistance in facilitating this process.
Despite Malta’s intensive agenda for the Presidency of the EU, which includes migration, security, the single-market, social inclusion, the EU’s neighbourhood policy, and maritime, Malta will also continue to focus on the enlargement of the European Union within the Western Balkans. Malta believes that the Western Balkans should be part of the European Union to help bring about the necessary domestic and regional transformation for the benefit of the respective Balkan peoples, Europe and our region, as this enlargement would definitely help with regional stability.